Marked
by MissLindaLee
Summary: Jarod wastes no time in rescuing the Centre's latest victim, a young woman named Samantha, but even he isn't ready for the truth about who she really is. First story in the Samantha Series.


Charleston General Hospital   
Charleston, South Carolina   
  
Samantha sat in the lobby of Charleston General Hospital, tapping her foot lightly as she waited for the nurse to call her name. She had an appointment at ten for a physical, something that she had been required to get before being allowed to tryout for the girl's basketball team, and it was already almost ten thirty. It wasn't like she had anywhere important to be; she didn't have any classes on Fridays. Still, she hated waiting without anything to do.   
  
"Miss Wilson?"   
  
Samantha looked up as a nurse walked over to her. "Yes?"   
  
"Dr. Patterson will see you now." Samantha followed the nurse down the corridor to a cubicle, where the nurse handed her a hospital gown to change into. The young woman quickly changed then waited another ten minutes before Dr. Patterson came in. "Miss Wilson?" he said. "I'm Dr. Patterson." Samantha shook his offered hand. "So, you're here to get a physical, huh?"   
  
"Yep."   
  
"First time here?"   
  
"Yeah, never had the need for doctors since I moved here; never got sick."   
  
"When did you move here?"   
  
"About three years ago, when I transferred to Charleston."   
  
"What year are you?"   
  
"I'm starting my senior year."   
  
Patterson looked confused. "A little strange to be trying out for the team your senior year, don't you think?"   
  
"Not really. Spent the past four years on my degree. Now, since my workload's gotten smaller, I'm bored."   
  
Patterson didn't respond to that as he started his examination. It took about twenty minutes for him to complete it, except for the blood test. He called the nurse in, who helped prepare Samantha. Patterson stuck the needle in her arm and drew the necessary amount then handed the syringe to the nurse. She left while Patterson bandaged Samantha's arm. "Well, Miss Wilson," he said, "we'll get the blood test running. If there are any problems, we'll let you know." He left the cubicle as Samantha started changing. When she was finished, she walked to the front desk, took care of the paperwork, then left.   
  
****   
  
Luke was in the lab when the nurse brought in the blood sample to be tested. It was only after she left did he begin his testing, but it wasn't the normal testing that the hospital thought he was doing. Luke was an employee of the Centre, having been put into this position in order to look for a new Pretender. His assignment was to analyze the blood of all the patients to see if they had the genetic marker of a Pretender. So far, however, nothing had turned up, and the Centre was not pleased. Luke took a small sample of the blood and put it on a slide, then he started examining it under a high-powered microscope. After focusing it, he stopped short. He blinked, then shook his head before peering through the lens again. When he realized what he was looking at he immediately reached for the phone. Some people at the Centre were going to be very pleased.   
  
****   
  
The Centre   
Blue Cove, Delaware   
  
Lyle was walking in the lobby with Willie when his phone rang. He stopped and answered it on the third ring. "What?" he asked. He listened, then smiled. "Good work." He hung up and put his phone away. "Willie, go find one of the techs - make sure it's not Broots – and get them to collect as much information on a Samantha Wilson as possible. She's from Charleston, South Carolina." Willie nodded before leaving. Lyle walked to the elevator, nearly bumping into Miss Parker in the process. Broots was with her. "Hello, Parker," Lyle said, smiling. "Lovely day, isn't it?" He got on the elevator.   
  
"He's awfully chipper today," Miss Parker said. "I don't like it. Broots, find out what he's so happy about."   
  
Broots sighed, not even bothering to argue. "Yes, ma'am." He walked away. Parker continued on with her business. What no one realized was that Angelo was hiding in the vent nearby. He turned around and crawled away to the vent that led to Lyle's office.   
  
****   
  
It didn't take long for Willie to come back to Lyle's office with the requested information. He handed the information to Lyle, and he looked over. "Samantha Josephine Wilson," he said, reading from the file. "Twenty-two years old, born in Chinook, Montana, on July 2, 1979, to Benjamin and Marie Wilson." He showed the picture that had been obtained from her school records. Samantha was smiling at the camera, her blue eyes radiating. Her blond hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. "A little old, but her parents were killed a few years back. No siblings, no known relatives. No one will miss her." He handed the picture to Willie. "Memorize that face, Willie. Get the jet ready. We're going to Charleston."   
  
Lyle and Willie left the office. When the coast was clear, Angelo opened the grate and jumped into the office. He hurried over to Lyle's desk and took Samantha's picture, then hurried back into the vent. He crawled to his room and went over to his computer. He took a marker and scribbled 'Need Help - Charleston' on it before putting it in the scanner. He scanned it in, then quickly sent the file to the one person he knew would be able to help.   
  
****   
  
Columbia, South Carolina   
  
Jarod was in the process of packing up his room, getting ready to leave, when he heard the "You Have New Mail" from his computer. He hurried over and saw the picture that Angelo had sent him. He frowned slightly, then reached for his phone and dialed Sydney's number.   
  
"This is Sydney," the familiar voice answered.   
  
"What does the Centre want with her?" Jarod asked. "Who are you talking about, Jarod?" Sydney asked.   
  
"I've gotten some information from a reliable source that the Centre has taken interest in a young woman in Charleston."   
  
"Jarod, I can assure you that this is the first I've heard about it, but I'll see what I can find out."   
  
Jarod hung up then stared at the picture. He started typing on his computer, searching through all the databases in the Charleston area. It didn't take him long to discover that her name was Samantha Josephine Wilson, and she was a student at the College of Charleston. "Well, Miss Wilson," he said, "I don't know what it is the Centre wants with you, but help's on the way." He looked at his watch. If he hurried, he could be in Charleston in a little over two hours.   
  
****   
  
Broots hurried to Sydney's office, where Parker was already talking with the psychiatrist. "I think I found out why Lyle's so happy." He handed a sheet of paper to Parker. "Samantha Wilson. She's a student at the College of Charleston." He handed Parker a picture he managed to pull up. "According to this, her blood contains the same genetic marker as did all the children of the Red Files."   
  
"Is there any record of her at the Centre?" Parker asked as she stared at the photo.   
  
"The file was started today," Broots said. "That's why Lyle was so happy. He's on the verge of getting a Pretender to replace Jarod." "We're going to Charleston," Parker said as she walked out.   
  
"Why?" Broots asked, following her.   
  
"Because Jarod will get wind of this and try to stop Lyle. Coming, Syd?"   
  
"I'll catch up in a minute," Sydney said as the two disappeared from sight. He reached for his phone and dialed Jarod's number.   
  
"Yes?" Jarod answered.   
  
"Samantha Wilson," Sydney replied. "She's a student at the College of Charleston. She has the potential to be a Pretender."   
  
There was a pause. "She has the marker?"   
  
"According to the file Broots stole from Lyle's office. You can bet Lyle is already on his way there. Jarod, you must not let Lyle get his hands on her."   
  
"Trust me. They're not going to take another one." Jarod hung up. Sydney hung up then quickly went to catch up with Parker and Broots.   
  
****   
  
It was about four in the afternoon when Samantha returned to her apartment, having spent all day in the park reading a book on medical terminology and surgical procedures. She didn't have too much difficulty getting the book, which didn't surprise her too much. It was almost a daily ritual with her: after finishing her studies, she would go to the library and read three or four books a day on any subject she was interested in, which was everything. To date, she had read almost every single book in the college library. She took her keys out of her purse and fumbled for the right one as she walked to her front door.   
  
Lyle watched her from the parked car across the street. He and Willie got out of the car and walked over to her apartment. He looked around, then quietly sneaked up behind her as Willie removed a chloroform-soaked rag from his coat. Willie grabbed her and put the rag over her face as she started struggling, but soon went limp. Willie followed Lyle back to the car, with Samantha in tow. They got in the car and drove off.  
  
Jarod turned the corner and saw the car pull away. "No!" he shouted as he started running after the car, but even he wasn't fast enough. He stopped, knowing exactly where they were taking her. He turned around as he saw another car pull up beside him. Parker, Broots, and Sydney got out.   
  
"Well, well," Parker said, aiming her gun at Jarod. "Looks like I was right, huh?"   
  
"We can't let them do this to another innocent person," Jarod said.   
  
"She's not my concern, Jarod," Parker replied. "But you are. If you remained at the   
Centre, then they wouldn't have had to resort to this."   
  
"Do you want her to wind up like Angelo?" Jarod asked, narrowing his eyes.   
  
"He's right, Parker," Sydney spoke up. "When Lyle gets a hold of her, who knows what he'll do to her."   
  
"So, what do you want me to do about it?" Parker asked. "Let you go so you can waltz into the Centre and rescue her?"   
  
"She didn't ask for this," Jarod said. He sighed. "Look, I can't do this alone. I need to find out where in the Centre they're taking her."   
  
"Then what?" Sydney asked.   
  
"I'll go from there," Jarod said before walking away.   
  
Parker watched him walk away, then put away her gun. "Dammit," she turned around. "I swear, when this is over . . ." She saw Sydney walk over to Samantha's front door, where her things were still on the ground: keys, purse, and a medical book. Sydney picked them up.   
  
****   
  
Samantha slowly opened her eyes and found she was in what appeared to be a hospital bed. Her memory was fuzzy, but she forced herself into a sitting position and looked around. She was in a curtained off room, which reminded her of Charleston General, but she couldn't figure out why she was there. She didn't have any injuries, and she felt fine, except for the thick fog that was clouding her mind. She got out of bed, thankful she was still dressed in her clothes, and started to look around as a man entered.   
  
He was good-looking with brown hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in a dark blue suit, and Samantha could see his left hand (which was missing the thumb) was gloved. He walked over and smiled at the young woman.   
  
"Hello, Samantha."   
  
Samantha noticed he was carrying a file, but couldn't see it at the moment. She eyed him suspiciously. "Who are you?"   
  
"You can call me Mr. Lyle," he said. "Other than that, it's much more important as to who you are." He opened the file and began reading. "You know, it's a shame that the Centre only now found out that you existed, but it's a problem that can be quickly remedied."   
  
"What are you talking about?"   
  
"Pretenders, Miss Wilson," Lyle said. "To put it simply, you have a genetic marker in your blood that is different from most people's. However, this marker is the key to your genius abilities, which I'm sure you've been aware of all your life." He started reading the file.   
"Your grades have been nothing less than perfect from the moment you started school.   
You were Valedictorian of your high school. What I'm confused about is why you decided to go to the College of Charleston, when someone like you could have easily been accepted into any university she wanted."   
  
"There's nothing wrong with me wanting to go to Charleston," Samantha frowned.   
  
"You didn't want anyone to find out just how smart you were, did you?" Lyle asked. "You even hid it well enough to make sure you didn't skip any grades, isn't that correct?"   
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Samantha replied.   
  
Lyle's smile faded. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Miss Wilson. You've been hiding your abilities from the world, but you couldn't hide them from yourself. When Willie and I took you, you had a book with you on the latest medical practices and terminology. Now, unless you were studying to be a doctor, and we both know you aren't, I'm guessing you were reading it for fun. I'm also going to take another guess and say that you've already memorized the entire book. Photographic memory?"   
  
Samantha's eyes narrowed. "You took me because I'm smart?"   
  
"Not just smart," Lyle said. "You're a genius, Miss Wilson, someone the Centre has taken an interest in to help further our cause."   
  
"Which is what?"   
  
"None of your business."   
  
"And you just expect me to cooperate, huh?"   
  
"You will find that it's in your best interest to fully cooperate with whatever we tell you to."   
  
Samantha snorted. "Look, here, buster, you might really want to consider letting me go. You don't think people won't know I'm gone?"   
  
"Not really. Your parents were killed in a drunk driving accident shortly before you graduated high school. You have no siblings or other family. No one will miss you." He glanced over his shoulder as Willie and another sweeper came in. They grabbed Samantha. "I think you're well enough to be discharged from the infirmary. Now, since you've spent so much time in the real world, the first order of business is to educate you in what the   
Centre expects of you. Take her to SL-12."   
  
****   
  
Broots and Sydney followed Parker into Sydney's room. Broots sat down at Sydney's desk and began typing on his computer. Sydney put Samantha's things on his desk.   
  
"How long will it take to find her?" Parker asked.   
  
"It all depends on where they're keeping her," Broots said.   
  
"Find her," Sydney replied with edge in her voice. "No matter what it takes."   
  
Parker and Broots looked at each other as Sydney paced slowly around his office with a troubled look on his face. "Anything you want to share with us, Syd?" Parker asked.   
Sydney didn't answer. "Sydney." Sydney looked up. "You seem a little on edge about this girl. Why?"   
  
"I'm just concerned for her well-being," Sydney replied. "I've seen Lyle's ways of dealing with hard to control subjects; we all have. Miss Wilson won't take too kindly to being locked up. I'm just worried what he may do to her in trying to subdue her." He paused. "I think I know one person who might be able to help us." He left the office.   
  
"Is he getting who I think he's getting?" Broots asked. Sydney returned a few minutes later with Angelo.   
  
"Does that answer your question?" Parker replied. She turned to Sydney. "You think he'll be able to find her?"   
  
"Why don't we ask him?" Sydney took Samantha's keys and handed them to Angelo.   
"Angelo, can you help us find her?"   
  
Angelo took the keys and held them. "Scared," he whispered. "Very scared."   
  
"Oh, that helps," Parker replied.   
  
"Anything else, Angelo?" Sydney ignored Parker. Angelo put the keys on the desk. "Very scared."   
  
"Nice try, Syd," Parker said. "But we're no better off than when we came here.   
  
"We have to find her," Sydney replied.   
  
"There's nothing on her in the database," Broot said. "Broots, go back to Lyle's office,"   
Parker said. "He's got to have something on where he's taken her."   
  
"Now, hold on. I've already been there today. Twice is pressing my luck." All Parker had to do was stare at him. He swallowed hard, then quickly left the office.   
  
"I thought you said she wasn't any of your concern, Parker," Sydney smiled.   
  
"She's not," Parker replied. She picked up the medical book and started at it for a few moments before leaving the office. Sydney looked at Angelo then took him back to his room.   
  
****   
  
Samantha was shoved into a small room on SL-12. She turned around as the door was slammed shut behind her. She began pounding on the door. "Let me out!" she screamed. "You have no right to do this to me!" She looked around the dark room, quickly taking in her surroundings. It looked like a small bedroom, ten feet by ten feet, with a small bed pushed to one side. There were no windows. A vent was above the bed. She went over and examined it, finding it was screwed shut. She wished she had something to unscrew it with, but she didn't. She sighed, sitting on the bed and hugging her knees to her chest as she started shaking. Tears slowly fell down her cheeks as she realized that she was not going to be leaving.   
  
Angelo watched her from the shadows in the vent. "Samantha . . . has . . . sadness," he whispered. He quietly turned around and crawled back the way he came.   
  
****   
  
Jarod didn't like crawling through the ventilation system of the Centre again, but he liked less the thought of the Centre kidnapping an innocent young woman for their sick research. He turned a corridor and bumped right into Angelo.   
  
"Jarod!" Angelo whispered, smiling. "Help her?"   
  
"Do you know where she is?" Jarod whispered.   
  
Angelo turned around and crawled back the way he came. Jarod followed him until he came to the vent to Samantha's room. Jarod watched her for a few moments, hating to see another person going through that much fear and hopelessness, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to get her out just yet. He turned and crawled through the vents until he came to the Sim Lab. He saw Sydney in his office, alone. He took off the grate and quietly hopped out. Angelo was right behind him as he went into the office. "I know where they're keeping her," Jarod said.   
  
"Is she okay?" Sydney asked as he got to his feet.   
  
"She's scared, but physically she's fine. I'm not going to let them do to her what they did to me."   
  
Broots came in the office, reading a file. "Sydney, I got that information you wanted." He looked up. "Jarod!"   
  
"Prefect timing, Broots. You're going to help me get Miss Wilson out."   
  
"I am?"   
  
"Yes. She's in a room on SL-12. I want you to bring up all the surveillance cameras on that floor." Broots, shaking, slowly sat at Sydney's desk and began typing. While he was scared of what would happen to him if Miss Parker found out what he was doing, he was truly terrified of Jarod. Secretly, he did agree with him in that Samantha shouldn't be in the Centre in the first place. Within moments, he had gotten into SL-12's security system. All the cameras for that floor were shown on the screen, including the one in Samatha's room. "Okay."   
  
"I want you to loop the camera in her room from the previous two minutes," Jarod said to Broots. "That should keep everyone's attention long enough until I get her out."   
  
Broots moved his hands quickly across the keyboard. "Got it." He glanced up at Jarod as he walked back to the vent, then looked at Sydney. "Now what?"   
  
"We wait," Sydney shrugged his shoulders. "And pray."   
  
****   
  
Jarod watched Samantha from the other side of the grate. She sat in the corner of the room, huddled up and crying. She didn't look up as Jarod quietly unscrewed the grate and jumped onto her bed. "Samantha?" he said. Samantha looked up and saw a dark-haired man dressed in black hop off her bed and come over to her.   
  
The young woman was on her feet instantly and pressed her back against the wall. "Stay away," she said.   
  
"I'm not going to hurt you," Jarod said. "I'm here to help. My name is Jarod."   
  
"Yeah right," Samantha growled. "You're with him, aren't you?"   
  
"Who?"   
  
"Mr. Lyle. You just want me to trust you so you can use me for your research. I am not a guinea pig. I am a human being. And I don't like being caged like some animal."   
  
"I agree with you, Miss Wilson, and let me assure you that I am not with Mr. Lyle. They would have come through the door, not the ventilation grate."   
  
"Then who are you with?" "We don't have a lot of time, but I promise I will explain everything to you once we're out of here." He held out his hand. "Trust me."   
  
Samantha looked at his hand, then at Jarod's face. She had spent her life being able to read people just by looking into their eyes. Jarod's brown eyes radiated with sincerity, more than she had ever seen before in anyone. She took a deep breath, then reached for his hand.   
  
Jarod smiled. "Thank you." He led her over to the vent, where he felt Samantha let go of his hand. He turned around and saw the young woman backing away. "What is it?"   
  
"The vent?" she asked. "We have to go out that way?"   
  
"Yes, we do."   
  
Samantha shook her head. "It's too dark."   
  
"It's only for a short time."   
  
"No way."   
  
Jarod took in a deep breath as he stared at the young woman. He could see pure fear in her eyes. He couldn't believe how quickly the Centre had instilled that fear into her, considering how strong she appeared to be. He put a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be fine, Samantha. I promise I won't let anything happen to you. Trust me." He held out his hand. Samantha hesitated, then took his hand. Jarod led her back over to the vent and hopped in. He turned around and helped her in. They crawled away together, Jarod turning around one in a while to make sure she was okay. Even though it was dark, he could feel the fear radiating from her.   
  
Samantha followed him through the tunnels, wondering to herself how he knew so much about this place if he wasn't a part of it. The two came to the end of a vent, where Jarod paused and looked around before opening it. He hopped down then helped Samantha out. He led her over to Sydney's office, where Sydney, Broots, and Angelo were waiting.   
  
"That was quick," Sydney replied.   
  
"Did we show up on surveillance?" Jarod asked.   
  
"No," Broots said. "Anyone who looked at Miss Wilson's screen would see what we're seeing right now. Do you want me to disable it?"   
  
"Not until we're out," Jarod said.   
  
Samantha looked over at Angelo and saw him rummaging through her purse. He pulled out a wallet-sized photo of her parents and stared at it. He frowned slightly then shook his head. "Parents," he whispered. "Parents sad. Timmy gone. Timmy scared."   
  
Everyone looked at him as Sydney and Jarod came over. "What is he talking about?" Samantha asked as she came over. "And who is he?"   
  
"Angelo is one of the Centre's projects," Sydney replied.   
  
"Timmy gone," Angelo repeated. He looked up at Samantha. "Sister?"   
  
Samantha slowly backed away. "What is he talking about? I don't have any sisters. I'm an only child."   
  
Sydney and Jarod both looked closely at Angelo and Samantha then slowly looked at each other as the realization of what Angelo just said. Broots just watched, clearly interested.   
"Miss Wilson," Sydney said, "I don't think that Angelo is saying you have any sisters. I think he's telling you that you are a sister. His sister."   
  
Samantha looked confused. "What are you talking about?"   
  
Broots raised his eyebrows. "Angelo has a sister?"   
  
"It makes sense," Jarod said, looking back and forth between Angelo and Samantha.   
"They have the same eyes. And they both have the genetic marker."   
  
"This is crazy!" Samantha shouted. "Look, I don't know what's going on here, but I want some answers now!"   
  
"I think we all do," Jarod replied. "Broots, go to the infirmary and get a couple needles and syringes. And don't tell anyone what's going on." Broots nodded, then quickly left.   
Jarod turned to Sydney. "It would explain why the Centre's taken an interest in her."   
  
"Possibly, but I don't think they have any reason to suspect that Miss Wilson and Angelo are related, if they are related."   
  
"If being the operative word," Samantha replied. She folded her arms. "Look, Jarod, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but if this is your idea of getting out, then it really sucks. Any minute Lyle's going to figure out that I'm not in my room. Then what?"   
  
"She is right, Jarod," Sydney said as Broots came back. "You don't have time to conduct any tests here."   
  
Jarod grabbed one of the needles and syringes from Broots. He went over to Angelo, who held out his arm. Jarod quickly drew some blood. He put the syringe in his jacket pocket then grabbed the others from Broots. "I know, Sydney. I'll do the tests outside. I'll call you with the results." He walked out of the office back to the vent.   
  
"Miss Wilson, here," Sydney said, handing the young woman her things.   
  
"Thanks," Samantha said before following Jarod. Broots and Sydney watched the two disappear from sight.   
  
"Sydney, what if it's true?" Broots asked. "What if she is Angelo's sister?"   
  
Sydney looked at Angelo. "Until we know for sure one way or the other, you must not let anyone else know what we suspect." He and Angelo left the office. Broots went back to the computer and just sat watching it. He looked up as Parker came walking in. He panicked and shut down the computer, then mentally kicked himself when he realized he disabled the camera. He hoped that Jarod and Samantha were already out.   
  
"Sydney giving up on finding her?" Parker asked.   
  
"Not really," Broots stammered.   
  
Parker stared at Broots. "You're hiding something, Broots. Spit it out."   
  
"Hiding what?" Broots started sweating. He tugged at his collar.   
  
Parker walked over and cornered Broots in his chair. "Why don't you tell me?"   
  
Broots swallowed then sighed. "Okay, okay. If I tell you, will you promise not to tell anyone else?"   
  
"Depends on the secret," Parker replied.   
  
Broots took a deep breath. "Sydney thinks that Samantha Wilson and Angelo are related."   
  
Parker frowned. "What? How?"   
  
"Because Angelo started calling her his sister."   
  
"He was in her room?"   
  
"Actually, she was here," Broots said. He swallowed. "With Jarod."   
  
Parker's eyes flashed. "Jarod was here? When?"   
  
"A few minutes ago," Broots replied. "He left with her."   
  
Parker paced the room. "I don't believe it. Why didn't you tell me?"   
  
"It wasn't my idea. And there wasn't time."   
  
"Do you realize what's going to happen if the Centre finds out that Jarod came in here and took Samantha Wilson, a Pretender who just might be Angelo's sister?"   
  
"You're not going to tell, are you?" Broots looked worried.   
  
Parker sighed, then smiled. "No. Let Lyle deal with that, since Miss Wilson was his responsibility." She turned to Broots, her smile fading. "However, I want to be kept in the loop, understood?"   
  
"Yes, ma'am," Broots nodded. He looked up as Sydney came back.   
  
"You know, Syd, I can't help if you don't keep me up to date on what's going on," Parker said.   
  
Sydney glared at Broots then looked back at Parker. "I trust you will keep the secret, Miss Parker. If it's true that Miss Wilson is Angelo's sister and the Centre finds that out, they might use Angelo in order to recapture both her and Jarod." He saw Lyle walking toward the office.   
  
"You look upset," Parker said to her brother as he came in. "Problem?"   
  
"Jarod is always a problem," Lyle said.   
  
"What are you talking about?" Sydney asked.   
  
"He's broken into the Centre," Lyle replied. "Again."   
  
"For what possible reason?" Parker pretended to look confused.   
  
Lyle showed small silver disk. "This is from a security camera on the West Side." He stuck it in Sydney's computer and played it. The screen was filled with a black and white video, showing Jarod and Samantha climbing out of a ventilation shaft and running down to the parking lot. Lyle switched off the computer and took out the disk. "We were too late to stop them from escaping," Lyle said. "In my car."   
  
"Who's the young girl?" Sydney asked.   
  
"Who she is isn't your concern," Lyle replied. "The only thing you need to concentrate on is getting her back. Right now, since Jarod is involved, you three are going to help me find them."   
  
"You want us tagging along?" Parker pretended to look surprised.   
  
"Not my first decision," Lyle said. "However, with Jarod involved, your expertise may   
help recapture her and possibly Jarod. "Let's go." He turned around and walked away.   
  
****   
  
Samantha looked at Jarod as he sped down the road. She hadn't said a word since they left Sydney's office. "Thank you," she said.   
  
"Don't thank me yet, Miss Wilson," Jarod said.   
  
"Sam," the young woman replied. "It's shorter." She saw Jarod give a small smile. She took in a deep breath. She couldn't resist asking a few questions. "Where are we going?"   
"Somewhere where they won't find us," Jarod said. "Then perhaps we can get to the bottom of this."   
  
Samantha cleared her throat. "You told me earlier that you aren't working with the Centre. Who are you working with?"   
  
"I don't work for anyone," Jarod said.   
  
"Then how do you know so much about that place and the people who work there? Hobby?"   
  
"Yes," Jarod replied. He smiled.   
  
"Actually, tormenting them is my hobby. As for the reason I know so much about that place, I used to live there."   
  
"I take it by that tone of voice, it wasn't a pleasant experience."   
  
"No. They did to me what they were planning on doing to you."   
  
"You're a Pretender, then, huh? Lyle kept mentioning that name to me."   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Okay," Samantha nodded. "What exactly is that?"   
  
Jarod took in a deep breath. "Why don't we wait until we're not being chased before we get into that?" He looked in the rearview mirror. Satisfied that they were not being followed, he turned onto a dirt road and stopped the car.   
  
"What are we doing?" Samantha asked as Jarod got out.   
  
"We can't be seen in this car," Jarod replied. "You up for a little hike?"   
  
"Do I have a choice?"   
  
"Not unless you want to go back to the Centre." He smiled as Samantha grabbed her things and quickly got out of the car. "The nearest town is a good five miles." He started walking down the road, then stopped when he saw Samantha looking at the car. "What is it?"   
  
"What are the odds of Lyle finding his car here?"   
  
"Pretty good, which is why we should be going."   
  
"You know, I think I need to leave him a little thank you for what he did to me," Samantha replied as she rummaged around in her purse. She grinned as she pulled out a small pocketknife.   
  
****   
  
Lyle watched Parker, Broots, and Sydney as the car drove down the highway. He knew they were up to something, that they knew more than they were letting on, but there was no way he could prove it. He looked at his gloved hand.   
  
"So, what sick experiments did you have in mind for her?" Parker asked.   
  
"Who says I was going to experiment on her?"   
  
"Don't play games with me, Lyle. Broots managed to get her file from the database, which was dated today. What is so important about her?"   
  
"It was the Centre's belief that another Pretender should be created," Lyle said. "After all the mishaps that have occurred because of Jarod, and the failed attempt by Raines with Angelo, they put me in charge of finding one."   
  
"Why you?"   
  
"Because I can get the job done where you couldn't. I was able to secure a Pretender."   
  
"But Jarod has other plans," Parker looked almost pleased. "What are you going to tell the Centre when they realize that a Pretender under your responsibility has escaped?"   
  
"That won't happen, Parker," Lyle smiled. "I plan on having her back before the Tower knows she's missing." He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Who knows? Maybe I'll also have Jarod." He looked toward the front of the car as it slowed down. "What's going on?"   
  
"It's your car," the driver said. The car stopped and everyone got out. Lyle's car was pulled off to the side of the road. As they approached it, they saw all four tires had been slashed. The interior showed all the seats had been torn open and the stuffing had been strewn everywhere. Samantha's pocketknife was sticking out from the dashboard, the blade completely sunk in.   
  
Sydney turned to Lyle as he tried not to smile. "I don't think the girl's very happy with you," he replied. Lyle turned and walked back to the car.   
  
"You know, Syd," Parker said, "I think I might actually like her. So, where do you think he took her?"   
  
"He's disappeared," Sydney replied in a low voice. "We won't be able to find him until he wants us to."   
  
"And when will that be?" Broots asked.   
  
"The stakes have been raised," Sydney replied. "It's no longer a matter of hiding out himself. Your guess is as good as mine."   
  
****   
  
Marathon Inn   
Laurel, Delaware   
  
Jarod unlocked the door to the motel room and let Samatha in. He shut the door and locked it as Samantha took a seat in a nearby chair. It had been two hours since they had abandoned Lyle's car. They had hiked to the nearby town, where Jarod rented a car and drove them here. She watched as he went over to a bag that was on the bed and pulled out a gun. He checked it, then he put it on the nightstand. He saw Samantha looking at him. "It's just a precaution," he assured her. He sat on the edge of the bed. "You hungry?"   
  
"I want some answers," Samantha said. "You said you'd tell me once we were away."   
  
"I did," Jarod nodded. He took a deep breath. "When I was a young child, I was taken from my parents for the same reason you were taken."   
  
"The marker?"   
  
Jarod nodded. "The Centre kept me isolated for about thirty years. They exploited my abilities in simulations, selling the results to the highest bidders. I broke out when I realized my simulations had been used to harm and kill innocent people. Since then, I've been searching for my past."   
  
"So, what does this have to do with being a Pretender?"   
  
Jarod nodded to the medical book Samantha still carried.   
  
"Why did you check out that medical book?"   
  
"Because I wanted to read it," Samantha replied.   
  
"How long did it take you to finish it?"   
  
"Four hours."   
  
"Can you remember everything that you read?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
"Do you think you could actually perform any of those procedures just like a doctor?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"How many other times have you picked up a book, regardless of the subject matter, read   
it in a few hours, and could clearly remember what you read?"   
  
"Every time."   
  
"That's what being a Pretender is, Sam. You have the abilities, just like I do, to read anything about anything, and then successfully put yourself into that same situation. You can literally become anyone you want to be, and no one will be the wiser."   
  
"Is that why the Centre wants me?"   
  
Jarod nodded. "They want to do to you what they did to me, but I'm not going to let that happen."   
  
"Now, when you say simulations, what do you mean, exactly?" Jarod grabbed his silver briefcase and opened it. He took one of the DSAs and stuck it in the computer. Samantha watched a man talk to the video as a little boy walked around a scaled model of the   
Empire State Building. "Thirty-six hours and he's already demonstrating more talent than our others," he said.   
  
Samantha recognized the voice. "Isn't that the older gentleman that we talked with at the Centre?"   
  
"That's Sydney," Jarod said. "He took care of me while I lived there. He can be trusted."   
  
"And the other guy?" Samantha asked.   
  
"Broots is one of the Centre's technicians," Jaord explained. "He's good with computer, and he's harmless - for the most part."   
  
"And Angelo?"   
  
Jarod closed the briefcase and turned to Samantha. "He was also taken as a young child, by a Dr. William Raines. Raines performed neuroshock experiments on him when he was young, experiments that were supposed to enhance the abilities in him to become a Pretender. Unfortunately, they destroyed his mind, but they left him with the abilities to be able to absorb people's personalities and emotions, to an extent."   
  
"Okay, I'm confused," Samantha frowned. "If you were both supposed to be Pretenders, then how come you didn't end up like him?"   
  
"I'm a natural Pretender," Jarod replied. "Angelo wasn't quite so lucky."   
  
"Can his condition be reversed?"   
  
"No." He cleared his throat. "Since we're on that subject, would you be willing to have some of your blood sampled to see if he is your brother?"   
  
"Sure," Samantha replied. She rolled the sleeve of her arm up as Jarod got the other needle and syringe. "I mean, if he is my brother, I have the right to know."   
  
Jarod noticed the puncture wound on her arm. "What's that?"   
  
"Oh, I had my blood drawn today in Charleston," Samantha replied.   
  
Jarod frowned slightly. "Why?"   
  
"Physical. I was going to try out for the girl's basketball team and, since I was a new patient, they needed to do some tests."   
  
Jarod looked disturbed as he drew some blood. "Well, now we know how they were able to figure out you had the marker. The Centre must have put someone in there to look for that." He secured the syringe and labeled it with a purple dot as Samantha took care of her arm. "I'll get these run as soon as possible. We'll figure out what to do from there." He smiled as he heard Samantha's stomach growling. "Hungry?"   
  
"Yeah," Samantha looked sheepish.   
  
Jarod went over to his bag and pulled out a Pez dispenser. He tossed it to her.   
  
"Pez? Man, I haven't seen these in ages."   
  
"Well, I also have Twinkies," Jarod held up a two pack. "I know it's not much."   
  
"How about pizza? Or even burgers and fries? Please? I haven't eaten all day."   
  
Jarod looked sternly at her, but then he relaxed and sighed. "Sure. I'll go get it." He grabbed his wallet and stuffed it in his jacket. "Stay in here, and don't answer the door for anyone. I shouldn't be gone long."   
  
"What if the Centre finds out that I'm here?"   
  
"No one will as long as you remain out of sight," Jarod said. "Now, don't forget to lock up. I'll be right back." He left.   
  
Samantha quickly locked the door behind him then leaned against it. Her eyed fell on the bag Jarod had pulled the Twinkies, gun, and Pez from. Wanting to find more out about the man who was protecting her, she went over and started rummaging through it.   
  
****   
  
Miss Parker walked into Sydney's office with Broots and Sydney right behind her. "Okay, we need to discuss a few things," she said. She turned to Broots. "I want everything on Samantha Wilson. Find out where she's from, family records, anything about her that you can get your hands on."   
  
"Anything in particular I'm looking for?" Broots asked.   
  
"Just bring everything you get," Parker replied. Broots nodded and left. Sydney sat down at his computer. "You know, Syd, if she turns out to be Angelo's sister, what do we plan on doing about it?"   
  
"Well, we won't be able to do anything until Jarod contacts us," Sydney said. "If he contacts us."   
  
"What do you mean if?"   
  
"If Miss Wilson and Angelo are related, he might not want to risk exposing their relation to the Centre. Angelo is someone that Raines doesn't want to see harmed, but he might use him if it means getting Jarod, and possibly another Pretender, back."   
  
"I wouldn't put it past him," Parker replied. She sighed. "As if one of Jarod wasn't bad enough. Now there's another one like him running around."   
  
"We can't be certain that Miss Wilson is a natural Pretender," Sydney said. "For all we know, she could be like Angelo. If that's the case, then it is especially important for Jarod to keep her out of the Centre's hands. Otherwise she might end up like Angelo."   
  
"And if she's a natural, like Jarod?"   
  
Sydney sighed. "Either way, Jarod will make sure that the Centre never gets its hands on her."   
  
****   
  
Samantha was busy looking at Jarod's Mr. Potato Head when there was a knock on the door. "Samantha," she heard Jarod's voice. "It's me, Jarod." The young woman went over and looked through the peephole. She saw Jarod standing outside, alone, carrying a Burger King sack and a couple of drinks. She opened the door then locked it after he was in.   
  
Jarod set the food on the table then looked at the bed where all his things were scattered. "Did you find what you were looking for, Sam?" he asked, looking wryly at her.   
  
Samantha went over and started cleaning up. "I was trying to find out more about you."   
  
"I thought you trusted me," Jarod said.   
  
"I do, but the only thing I know about you is that you lived at the Centre. I have a habit of wanting to find out about people. That's why I was studying to become a psychologist, to study people and understand them."   
  
Jarod smiled as he handed her a burger. "You and Sydney would get along well, then. Is there anything in particular that you want to know about me?"   
  
Samantha held up the photographs. "Your family?" Jarod nodded. "You miss them a lot, don't you?"   
  
"Yes, I do," Jarod said as he sat next to her.   
  
Samantha touched his cheek and looked right into his eyes. "How do you do it, Jarod?"   
  
"Do what?"   
  
"Your eyes show so many emotions that it amazes me how you can carry on the way you do."   
  
"What do you see?"   
  
"Compassion," Samantha said. "There's also a determination to see that justice is served. That I know because of how you've helped me so far. I also see a person who is lost and lonely, who yearns to be with a family he never knew."   
  
Jarod smiled. "Knowing that I make a difference in people's lives is what keeps me going."   
  
Samantha returned the smile, then glanced at the photos. "When you do find them, don't take one moment with them for granted." Tears fell down her cheeks. She forced a smile as she bit her lip.   
  
"I learned about your parents," Jarod said as handed her a tissue. "I'm sorry. I know how hard it is to lose family. My brother, Kyle, was shot and killed by Lyle a couple of years ago."   
  
Samantha wiped her eyes then went over to her purse and took out her wallet. She handed the wallet to Jarod, showing a small photo of two aged people. "These were my parents. They were killed shortly before I graduated from high school. Some drunken idiot plowed head-on into their car; they never even had a chance."   
  
Jarod looked at the photo and studied the two people in it. The man was well-built, dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans. His hair was silver, but his blue eyes matched Samantha's, and he grinned from ear to ear like a little kid. He had his arm wrapped around the shoulders of a woman with gray hair. She had green eyes and was dressed in a light, flowery dress. They were standing in a dirt road in front of a farmhouse. "Is this where you lived?" he asked.   
  
Samantha nodded. "We had a farm. You can't really see it in the picture, but off to the right was our barn. We had chickens, pigs, cattle, and horses; there was some woods near the edge of our property where I'd go riding every chance I got."   
  
"Sounds nice," Jarod said. He handed the photo back to her. "Can I ask why you decided to leave?"   
  
"Chinook is not that big," Samantha explained before taking a sip of her drink.   
"Everywhere I looked, there was something there to remind me of my parents. So, I left as soon as I could."   
  
"But why Charleston? I don't think it was because it offered you an educational challenge."   
  
Samantha smiled as she finished her drink, then tossed it away. "How do you plan on testing those blood samples? You don't have any of the proper equipment here."   
  
Jarod went over to his laptop and started typing. He pulled up a program and started manipulating documents and pictures the way he always did before doing a pretend. "We'll leave for Salisbury early tomorrow morning. They'll be getting a new lab technician tonight in the form of me, so I'll get them tested myself."   
  
"I want to help."   
  
"Out of the question. It would be too dangerous. I've been doing this for almost four years, plus I've been trained to do this."   
  
"And you think I haven't? I've had to hide who I really am my entire life, pretending I was just like the other kids. By the time I was five, I was able to solve complex math problems with one hundred percent accuracy in less than five seconds. By the time I was ten, I could speak five languages fluently after reading books on them; now it's up to fifteen. I could build complicated structures that rivaled the architects of anyone I know, read people's emotions and know if they were lying to me or telling the truth. Even when I graduated high school and went to Charleston, I still had to hide who I was, and I will never understand why they said it was for my own good."   
  
"Who said that?"   
  
"My parents. When I was young and they first learned about what I could do, they told me not to tell anyone; they said I needed to be like the other kids and not show off, and that it was for my own good. I gave up arguing with them and went along with it. So, you see, I do know something about pretending, Jarod. I'm coming with you, especially if we're   
finding out whether or not I have a brother."   
  
Jarod looked at her for the longest time. "Okay," he finally said. "I don't like this, but I can understand why you want to be there." He resumed typing as Samantha watched over his shoulder. She saw him pull up her photo from her school records, crop it, and manipulate in until he had created an identification tag for her. "You're going to be my assistant, Samantha Mendel."   
  
Samantha chuckled as she started cleaning up. "We're trying to find out if I have a brother, and you're naming me after the father of genetics. Cute. And yourself?"   
  
"Jarod Wilkins," Jarod replied.   
  
"One of the founding fathers of DNA," Samantha said as she flopped on the bed. "X-ray diffraction analyses by him, combined with James Watson and F.H.C. Crick, led to their proposal of the double helix structure of DNA in '53." Jarod glanced back at her briefly. Samantha noticed. "My nickname in high school was The Human Dictionary-Encyclopedia."   
  
Jarod smiled as he broke into the hospital records and uploaded 'personnel files' for both Samantha and himself. "Well, Sam, we're all set. I suggest that we get a good night's sleep, okay?" He looked over at Samantha. She was already sound asleep. Jarod smiled slightly as he gathered his things and put them off into a corner. He took his gun from the nightstand, checked it again before putting on the table, made sure all the windows and locks were secured, and then took a seat. He watched Samantha for a few moments before the fatigue took its toll on him. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.   
  
****   
  
The next morning, Miss Parker walked over to her office as Broots came running up to her. "Where have you been?" Broots asked breathlessly. "I've been looking all over for you."   
  
"Did you get the information I asked for?" Miss Parker asked.   
  
"Yeah, it's on your desk, but-"   
  
"But what, Broots?" Broots swallowed. "There's a problem."   
  
"I hate problems."   
  
"Lyle found out about Samantha Wilson's background check. He's on his way up here right now to get that information. With Raines."   
  
Parker walked into her office with Broots behind her. "What were you able to find on her?" She looked on her desk, but there was nothing there. "Broots, where's the file?" Broots looked at the desk.   
  
"It was right here," Broots said as he looked around the desk. "I swear."   
  
"Someone must have taken it," Parker replied. "And I think I know who."   
  
"Okay, where is it?" Lyle asked as he walked into the office. Raines came in behind him, wheeling his oxygen tank. Willie was beside him.   
  
"Where's what?" Parker asked.   
  
"The background check that Broots performed on Samantha Wilson," Lyle replied. "Give us the information."   
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Parker said.   
  
"Be careful, Miss Parker," Raines wheezed.   
  
"Is that a threat?" Parker asked.   
  
"A warning," Raines answered.   
  
Parker moved her hands around the office. "Does it look like I have anything on Samantha Wilson in here?"   
  
Raines and Lyle stared at her and Broots. "I'm sure if you find anything, you will let us know?" Lyle asked.   
  
"Of course," Parker replied. The three men left the office.   
  
Broots exhaled. "That was close."   
  
"Broots, find out who took that information," Parker replied before marching out of her office.   
  
****   
  
Angelo held the file in his mouth as he crawled through the ventilation until he arrived in his area. He hurried over to his computer and started scanning in everything. When he was finished, he sent the information in an email to Jarod before going into the computer files that Broots had used to find his information on Samantha and erased all of them. Then he went back into the ventilation and crawled to the vent that led to the Sim Lab. He hopped out and hurried over to Sydney's office.   
  
Sydney looked up as Angelo put a file on his desk. "What is it, Angelo?" he asked.   
  
Samantha," Angelo replied before disappearing into the ventilation shaft. Sydney looked at the information in the file as Parker and Broots came walking in.   
  
"You took the information?" Parker asked.   
  
"I just received this information," Sydney replied calmly. "It's about Miss Wilson."   
  
"I just did that background check on her," Broots said.   
  
"What's in there?" Parker asked.   
  
Sydney looked at different printouts. "Nothing out of the ordinary. School records, birth certificate, social security, driving record, and so forth." He closed the file.   
  
"Let me see that," Parker grabbed the file from him and began reading it. "You failed to mention that her parents have no records of ever existing before 1966. Anywhere." She looked up. "Let me take a wild guess why not."   
  
"So, then she is Angelo's sister, huh?" Broots asked.   
  
"Not technically, Broots," Sydney replied. "All it's saying is that for some reason, her parents left no paper trail of their histories prior to 1966. While one might assume it probably has to do with the Centre, it would be irresponsible to make any assumptions." He took the file from Parker, opened his desk, and started putting the information in it.   
  
"You might want to be careful about keeping that information," Parker said. "Lyle and Raines know that a background check was performed on her. It could mean a lot of trouble if they know you have it."   
  
Sydney stopped, then took the information out. He went over to his shredder and shredded all the documents. Then he took a pair of scissors and cut the shreds into tiny confetti pieces before dumping them in the trashcan. "Now they won't be able to know I had it."   
  
Broots looked over Sydney's shoulder and saw Lyle and Willie walking toward the office. "And not a moment too soon," he whispered.   
  
"We're going to Charleston," Lyle said. "Raines wants us to go through Miss Wilson's apartment with a fine toothed comb."   
  
"Why don't you just conduct another background check on her?" Parker asked.   
  
"We tried," Lyle answered. "But whoever conducted the first background check on her erased all of her files. It's like she doesn't exist."   
  
"Well, that should be good news for you, then, huh?" Parker asked. "Your Pretender doesn't have anything that people can trace on her."   
  
"And neither can we," Lyle replied. "Which is why Raines wants us to go through her home in Charleston and then go to Chinkook, Montana, to see if we can find out anything about her. The jet will be ready to leave in an hour. Be ready by then." He turned and walked away with Willie.   
  
"Broots, I'm surprised," Parker said. "You erased all of her records?"   
  
"It wasn't me," Broots said.   
  
"Well, if it wasn't you, then who?"   
  
"I don't know." Broots followed Parker out of the office. Sydney smiled as he walked behind them, glancing at the vent as he passed by.   
  
****   
  
Salisbury, Marlyand   
  
Samantha watched Jarod as he put some of the DNA extracted from her blood on a genetic testing plate. Right next to that was another plate, which held the DNA that had been extracted from Angelo's blood. She couldn't believe how easy it had been for the two of them to get admitted as personnel into the hospital. She smoothed her lab coat as she looked around the small room, then back at Jarod as he began the testing process on her plate. "How long do your pretends normally last?" she asked.   
  
"Don't worry," Jarod said. "By the time anyone figures out we're not really lab technicians, we'll be long gone." He finished with her plate then put a purple dot sticker on it. "Okay, let's just get these tested." He handed one to her.   
  
"That takes around three days, Jarod."   
  
"I know."   
  
"We're going to stay here that long?"   
  
Before Jarod could answer, his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his lab coat. "Yes?" He listened for a few moments, then frowned. "When? . . . Angelo? . . . Thanks, Sydney." He hung up.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Sydney was just informing me that Lyle is going to your apartment in Charleston then to Chinook, Montana to see what he can find out about you." He left the lab, carrying the genetic plate. Samantha was close behind him. "We have to hurry."   
  
"Why?"   
  
Jarod remained silent as they dropped the plates off at the designated department, putting a rush order on the results. It was only after they were out of the hospital and in the rental car that Jarod spoke up. "You remember Broots?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Miss Parker instructed him to do a complete background check on you."   
  
"Who's Miss Parker?"   
  
"You'll meet her eventually. Anyway, somehow or another, Lyle and Raines learned about this and tried to get the information, but Angelo, unbeknownst to anyone expect Sydney, got a hold of that information and gave it to Sydney. Sydney destroyed it so he wouldn't be implicated. Interestingly enough, all of your records have been erased."   
  
"Broots?"   
  
"I doubt it. If I'm guessing correctly, before Angelo gave the information to Sydney, he emailed it to me and then erased everything himself."   
  
"Okay, so why are we going back to Charleston and then Chinook? I thought our objective was to stay far away from the Centre as possible."   
  
"Sam, we have to assume for now that you are Angelo's sister. If Lyle finds anything that Raines could connect your parents and Angelo, then Angelo would in danger."   
  
"So, what do we do?"   
  
"First, we need to get to Charleston as quickly as possible. Do you have any family photographs at your place?"   
  
"Not many, but yes, I do."   
  
"We'll need to get those before Lyle does. After that, we'll go to Chinook and do the same thing."   
  
Samantha sighed. "This is ridiculous. One day I'm just a normal person, the next I'm running from a corporation called the Centre, and all records of my existence have been erased."   
  
"Look on the bright side," Jarod said as they pulled into the motel parking lot. "At least it'll make getting a new identity easier." Samantha looked at him wryly as they walked into their room. While he pulled up his email and looked at the information, Samantha gathered their things. Jarod quickly memorized the information, then pulled up the database of Bennett Airport. He quickly typed some information. "Okay, we're on the ten-thirty plane to Charleston. Let's go." He shut down the computer and left the motel with Samantha.   
  
****   
  
Charleston, South Carolina   
  
Samantha unlocked her door and hurried inside. Jarod behind her and closed the door. He watched Samantha go through her apartment. She came back a few minutes later with three photo albums and a few journals. "Is that everything?" he asked.   
  
"Yeah," Samantha replied. "Mom and Dad weren't much for having their pictures taken, and these are all the ones I have."   
  
"What about documents? Anything with your parents' names on them."   
  
Samantha shook her head. "When I moved here, the only things with them that I brought here were the photos."   
  
"What about the journals?"   
  
Samantha paused. "I'll explain later. Let's just get out of here." The two went to the front door and opened it. Jarod stopped when he saw a black car pull up nearby. Lyle, Parker, Sydney, and Broots got out, along with Willie and Sam. Jarod closed the door and cursed.   
"Is there another way out?" he asked.   
  
"The bathroom window," Samantha replied. She led Jarod to her bathroom and opened the window. Jarod helped her out then handed her the albums before getting out himself. The two ran over to their rental, got in, and drove away unnoticed.   
  
Willie and Sam kicked in the front door and went inside. Lyle, Parker, Sydney, and Broots were behind them. "Tear this place apart," Lyle said. "Find anything you can on her family." Sam and Willie started tearing the place apart.   
  
****   
  
Jarod looked at Samantha as they drove down the street. She was looking at her parents' photographs wistfully. "I'm sorry that you're involved in this."   
  
"It's not your fault, Jarod. You saved my life, and you're helping protect the person who might be my brother."   
  
"But you had your whole life ahead of you."   
  
"Well, blame the Centre for taking that away from me."   
  
"I just wish there was something I could do." Jarod suddenly narrowed his eyes as he smiled.   
  
"What?" Samantha asked.   
  
"Which hospital did you have your physical at?"   
  
"Charleston General."   
  
"Grab my laptop and get into their database. Find out who works in the lab there."   
  
Samantha reached around and grabbed Jarod's laptop. She quickly pulled up the database for the hospital. "Okay," she said. "There are three people who work with in the lab: Felicia Collins, Peter Harold, and Luke Jamerson."   
  
"Find anything you can about each of them: family history, bank records, and so on."   
  
Samantha started typing furiously. "Well," she said after a few minutes, "there's nothing really out of the ordinary on Harold or Collins, and their bank records are fairly normal."   
  
"What about Jamerson?"   
  
Samantha pulled up his records. "Whoa," she said as her eyes widened.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Mr. Jamerson's bank account has grown from a little over three hundred dollars to well over twenty-thousand in the span of one day. Yesterday, in fact."   
  
"The day the Centre kidnapped you," Jarod replied. "Gee, I wonder where he could have gotten all that money from?"   
  
Samantha started typing. "Surprise, surprise. From a bank out of Blue Cove, Delaware."   
  
Jarod smiled. "Bingo." He sighed. "Well, now that we know who the Centre's snitch is, it's time to have some fun."   
  
"How?" Samantha asked.   
  
Jarod grinned. "You'll see. But first, we have to get in." He stopped the car in the parking lot of Charleston General. He grabbed his lab coat and put it on. He took the laptop and quickly made files for himself and Samantha then uploaded them into the database. "Let's go." Samantha grabbed her lab coat and followed Jarod into the hospital. They walked to the administration desk. "Excuse me." The woman at the desk looked up. "My name is Jarod Wilkins and this is my assistant, Samantha Mendel. We're both new here, and we were wondering where we might find Luke Jamerson."   
  
"He's in the lab," the woman replied. "Down the hall, second left, third door on the left, Room 165."   
  
"Thank you very much," Jarod replied. The two walked down the hall, following the woman's instructions. "Just follow my lead, okay?"   
  
"Sure," Samantha shrugged. They stopped in front of the door to Room 165. The sign on the door said out to lunch, but Jarod knocked anyway. Luke opened it a few moments later.   
  
"We're closed," he said. "Whatever it is can wait thirty minutes."   
  
"Actually," Jarod said, "we're new here. We need to ask you some questions."   
  
"I'm a little busy right now," Luke said.   
  
"Doing more work for the Centre?" Jarod asked.   
  
Luke's eyes widened slightly, but he cleared his throat. "I have no idea what you're talking about."   
  
"Don't worry, Luke," Jarod said. "We're here to check on your progress."   
  
Luke hesitated then let both of them in. He closed the door and locked. When he turned around, Jarod grabbed him by his throat and shoved him against the door. "What the hell are you doing?" Luke wheezed. "I thought you said you worked for the Centre."   
  
"I don't remember saying anything like that, do you, Samantha?" Jarod asked.   
  
"No," Samantha shrugged.   
  
"Then what do you want from me?" Luke asked. "Who are you?"   
  
"You're worst nightmare come true," Jarod replied. "I don't like it when innocent people are hurt. It kinda ticks me off."   
  
"I didn't hurt anybody," Luke replied.   
  
"You took away this young woman's life," Jarod said through clenched teeth. "She had dreams, ambitions, and freedom. When you told the Centre about her abilities, you destroyed her. Sam?"   
  
"Yeah?" Samantha asked.   
  
"What do you think I should do to him?" Jarod saw the look Luke was giving him. "Oh, don't look so surprised, Mr. Jamerson. It is only fitting that the person whose life you destroyed should be the one who decides your punishment."   
  
Luke's eyes bugged out. "I'm dead," he whispered.  
  
"Not really," Jarod replied. "But you're going to wish you were."   
  
****   
  
Sydney watched as Sam and Willie ransacked Samantha's apartment. He glanced at Broots and Parker, knowing they were probably thinking the same thing he was: if anything on Samantha's family was turned up, it could mean trouble for Angelo. His heart started racing as Sam and Willie came back over to Lyle, but he calmed down when he saw they had nothing in their hands.   
  
"Anything?" Lyle asked.   
  
"Nothing," Sam said. "Except for a few photographs of herself."   
  
"What about papers?" Lyle asked. "Records?"   
  
"Nothing," Willie replied.   
  
"Now, I don't think that someone like Miss Wilson wouldn't have any photos of her family around somewhere, nor any documents or records on her past."   
  
"Maybe she keeps them somewhere else," Broots spoke up.   
  
"Or maybe she came back here to get them," Lyle replied.   
  
"And risk getting captured?" Parker asked. "Where do you come up with these insightful ideas?"   
  
Lyle started to answer, but was interrupted by the phone ringing. The answering machine picked up on the fourth ring. "Hi, this is Samantha," the young woman's voice said. "Can't take your call right now, and I know you're familiar enough with what to do, so I'm not going to waste anymore airtime. Laters." There was a beep.   
  
"Hello, Lyle," Jarod's voice said cheerfully. "You know, Sam is with me, and she's not very happy that you're destroying her apartment. Sorry to be short, but we do have to run. However, we left a nice surprise for you down at the lab of Charleston General." There was a click.   
  
Everyone looked at Lyle. "Let's go," Lyle replied as he walked out of the apartment. Sam and Willie were behind him.   
  
"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this?" Parker asked before turning and leaving the apartment.   
  
****   
  
The trip to Charleston General was quiet. The group walked to the lab and opened the door. They stopped short and everyone looked inside. Hanging upside down in the middle of the lab, with his hands bound and a gag in his mouth, was Luke. Everyone ignored him as they read the small sign hanging around his neck: 'We're Not Finished.'   
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Lyle asked.   
  
"I think it's a warning," Sydney said.   
  
"Good work," Parker frowned at her brother. "Now we're chasing two Pretenders. As if one wasn't bad enough."   
  
"It took Jarod over thirty years to learn everything he did," Lyle said. "There is no way that Samantha Wilson can learn everything in the span of two days."   
  
"Don't underestimate Jarod," Sydney said. "And don't be so quick to underestimate Miss Wilson's skills. We don't know enough about her at this point to make any assumptions."   
  
"Except that she doesn't like you," Parker smiled. "By the way, how is your car?"   
  
Lyle ignored the question. "Let's get to Montana and see what we can find." He answered his cell phone as it started to ring. "What?"   
  
"You seem upset," Samantha said. "If it's about the car, I know you can afford the repairs."   
  
"Miss Wilson, I advise you not to play with fire," Lyle replied. "Otherwise, you could get burned, severely."   
  
"Ah, I'm not into pyrotechnics," Samantha said.   
  
"What do you want?"   
  
"Well, I was just calling to inform you that if you want to waste your time going to Chinook, then go right ahead; Jarod and I have already erased everything there is about me and my family. Pictures, records, certificates . . . hell, my parents no longer exist, and neither do I."   
  
"You're forgetting one thing, Miss Wilson," Lyle said. "I work for the Centre. We will find out what we want to know about you."   
  
"Good luck." Samantha hung up.   
  
"What did she want?" Sydney asked as Lyle left the room. Everyone was behind him.   
  
"Broots, I want you to check Chinook records when you return to the Centre," Lyle said. "Find anything on Benjamin and Marie Wilson that you can."   
  
"And where are you going?" Parker asked.   
  
"Jarod is up to something," Lyle said. "I'm going to Chinook myself to make sure that he isn't pulling a fast one on us. Willie will be coming with me."   
  
"As will I," Parker said.   
  
"I don't think so, Parker," Lyle said. "You're going back to the Centre with Broots, Sam, and Sydney."   
  
"You're not my boss, Lyle."   
  
"But in this case, I'm your supervisor. That means you do exactly what I say."   
  
"And if I don't?"   
  
Lyle smiled. "Then I'll put in a call to the Tower. How's that?"   
  
Parker glared at her brother. "Fine," she said. "But I expect to be informed if you find anything."   
  
"Certainly," Lyle replied. The group walked out to the car and got in. Lyle turned to the driver as they drove off. "The airport." The driver turned around and everyone saw it was Jarod. He smiled and waved at them.   
  
"Jarod," Parker said as she reached for her gun. Jarod swerved the car, knocking all the passengers off balance. Unfortunately, only Broots and Sydney were wearing their seatbelts.   
  
Samantha turned around from her spot in the passenger's seat and smiled. "You know, this is why you should always wear your seatbelt." Lyle tried sitting up, and Jarod swerved the car again, knocking Lyle into Parker.   
  
"What do you want?" Parker bellowed as she tried shoving her brother off her.   
  
Samantha pulled a gas mask over her face then held the wheel as Jarod put one on his face. "You must be Miss Parker. Well, don't worry, Jarod and I have no qualms with you or anyone else in this car, except for Mr. Lyle." She tossed a small canister into the back. It hit the floor and started smoking. Everyone started coughing as they covered their mouths, but it was to no avail. Within seconds, they were out like lights.   
  
Jarod pulled the car into a covered parking garage. He and Samantha got out and opened the back door. They dragged the unconscious Lyle out then proceeded to tie everyone up.   
Samantha shut the door and took off her mask.   
  
"Okay," she said. "Part One complete."   
  
"On to Part Two," Jarod smirked as he took off his mask.   
  
****   
  
Lyle slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He found himself staring right at Jarod and Samantha. He tried moving, but found his hands and legs bound to the chair he was sitting in. He struggled, but he couldn't move one bit. "Let me go," he said.   
  
"Oh, I think he's unhappy, don't you, Sam?" Jarod asked.   
  
"I think he's quite happy, Jarod,"   
  
Samantha replied. She took a chair and sat down in front of Lyle. "You know what you are, Lyle? You're a control freak; you're one of those people who likes to do things you're way, and you hate it when it doesn't happen. You tend to overreact, and I'm willing to bet that you have quite a temper. Am I correct?" Lyle didn't answer her.   
  
"Oh, come on, Lyle," Jarod said. "She may have been majoring in Psychology, but you don't have to worry about her charging you for this little session. Because of you, she doesn't have a life anymore."   
  
"Look, Miss Wilson," Lyle said. "I may have been a little unreasonable when we first met, but I assure you that we can work something out if you let me go."   
  
"I didn't have that option, Lyle," Samantha replied. "Why should you?"   
  
"We can do great things together."   
  
"Come on, Lyle," Jarod said. "You can bargain better than that."   
  
"Please," Lyle said.   
  
"Now, he's begging," Jarod cocked his head as he crossed his arms. "Huh. You disappoint me, Lyle. I thought you would at least wait a couple of minutes before begging."   
  
Samantha stood up and went over to Lyle's jacket. "You know, Lyle, while you were out, Jarod told me many interesting things about you, including how you lost your thumb." She pulled out Lyle's gun and walked back over to her chair. "I was thinking-"   
  
"That must have taken some effort," Lyle muttered.   
  
Samantha scowled before punching Lyle in the face. "Don't interrupt me. Now, as I was saying, I was thinking about how much damage I could inflict upon you to compensate for the fact that you've basically destroyed my life. Jarod was very helpful in this matter, and he told me this one piece of advice: 'always cause trauma in the same amount and degree to the person who originally inflicted the trauma on another person.'"   
  
"What are you talking about?" Lyle asked, wishing he could rub his nose where Samantha had hit him.   
  
"Revenge, Mr. Lyle," Samantha answered, mimicking the way Lyle had talked to her earlier at the Centre. "To put it simply, you destroyed my life, and now it's time for some payback."   
  
"You're crazy."   
  
"Ah, ah, ah," Jarod shook his head. "That is not a very nice thing to say to a girl with a gun."   
  
Samantha ran the gun down Lyle's face. "Let's see. Since you took away the only thing I had going for me, I think I'll take away the only thing that you have going for you: your position at the Centre."   
  
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Lyle almost sneered.   
  
"Easy," Jarod replied. "She's going to remove your other thumb."   
  
Lyle got that deer-in-the-headlights look. "You're joking, right?"   
  
"Not in the least," Samantha replied.   
  
"Just imagine, Lyle," Jarod said, smiling. "No thumb means you can't hold a gun or even a cup of coffee. You'll be useless to the Centre, and you know what happens to people that the Centre considers useless." Lyle started struggling.   
  
"Don't worry, Lyle," Samantha patted his head. "I've memorized that entire medical procedures book. I know everything about incisions, controlling bleeding, and suturing, so you can relax. Jarod, would you administer the anesthetic?"   
  
"A pleasure." Jarod removed a needle and syringe filled with a clear liquid. Without rolling up Lyle's sleeve, he stuck the needle in his arm and injected the anesthetic into him. Lyle started feeling light-headed. "Nighty night," Jarod said before Lyle blacked out.   
  
****   
  
Sydney opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a parking garage with Parker, Broots, Willie, and Sam, and all of them had their hands and feet bound. He saw that Parker was already awake, along with Broots.   
  
"Well, it's about time you woke up," Parker looked at Sydney as she struggled. "Ooh, when I get my hands on Jarod, he's going to pay for this." She looked around. "Doesn't anyone park their car in a garage anymore? Someone help us!" He voice echoed against the stone walls, but there was no response.   
  
"Where's Lyle?" Broots asked as he tried, unsuccessfully, to sit up.   
  
"Well, I'm betting that Jarod and little Miss Teeny-Bopper took him after we were all unconscious," Parker said. "Wonder what they plan on doing with him." Sydney shrugged as he tried to loosen his binds.   
  
****   
  
Lyle opened his eyes, but his vision was blurred. He could smell antiseptic and see two blurs moving above him. They were talking to each other, but Lyle couldn't figure out what they were saying. They stopped talking and leaned over. It was then that Lyle's vision cleared, and he realized he was looking at Jarod and Samantha. Both of them had surgical scrubs over their clothes.   
  
"Welcome back, Mr. Lyle," Samantha smiled sweetly as she removed her gloves. "Good news. I was able to make a clean cut, so there should be little scarring."   
  
Lyle struggled but found he was strapped to a gurney. He looked at his right hand and saw it was bandaged. He didn't feel any pain, but he could see the gauze was soaked with blood. He shot a murderous glare at Jarod and Samantha. "I swear you're both going to pay for this," he said.   
  
"Oh, that's not very grateful," Jarod said as he removed his cap and gloves. "After all, we did manage to keep you bleeding from to death."   
  
"Hey, I did all the work," Samantha frowned.   
  
Jarod shrugged. "That is correct. Sam is a great doctor. Well, she's great at pretending to be a doctor, anyway. I just assisted. But we do have one question."   
  
"What?"   
  
"What would you like us to do with your thumb?" Samantha asked, holding up Lyle's severed thumb in a bag. "Do you want us to keep it with the tape we made, or do you want to hang on to it? Or perhaps you'd like to wear it around your neck for posterity."   
  
"What tape?"   
  
Samantha walked over to a video and tripod. "We recorded the entire procedure for posterity, and I thought that adding your thumb to the package would really spice things up." She pulled the tape out of the camera and stuck it in a nearby TV/VCR while Jarod started cleaning up.   
  
Lyle started struggling. "When I get my hands on both of you, I'll kill you!" he shouted.   
  
"Lyle, you're going to upset your wound," Jarod said. "Besides, you don't have any thumbs anymore. You won't even be able to hold us, much less kill us." Both he and Samantha took off their hospital clothing, and Samantha shook her hair free after removing her cap. "Now, there's only one thing left to do." He took out his cell phone.   
"It's time to make a call."   
  
****   
  
It was almost an hour after they had woken up, but Parker, Sydney, Broots, and the sweepers were finally free. They also managed to find the real driver of their car tied up and gagged in the trunk of the car. They were in the process of getting ready to leave the parking garage when Parker's phone rang. She answered it on the third ring. "What?"   
  
"So, you've gotten free, I see," Jarod said.   
  
"What do you want, Jarod?"   
  
"I was just calling to tell you that your brother's at the warehouse at the intersection of Church and Water, and he's ready to be picked up. Just remember that he's just gotten out of surgery, so just be careful when you're moving him so you don't disturb his stitches." Parker heard a click then put her phone away.   
  
"What did he say?" Sydney asked.   
  
"Lyle's out of surgery and ready to be picked up," Parker replied. She walked to the car. "Let's go." Sydney, Broots, and the sweepers followed.   
  
****   
  
It didn't take them long to find the address that Jarod had given them. Parker, Sam, and Willie were first into the warehouse; all three of them had their guns drawn. They searched the place, and came to a locked office door. Parker fired at the knob then opened the door. She walked in with the men close behind her. She stopped short when she saw Lyle strapped to the gurney. She put her gun away and walked over.   
  
"Well, it's about time you showed up," Lyle said. "You mind getting me off this thing?"   
  
"I thought Jarod said he operated on him," Broots looked confused.   
  
"They did." Lyle held up his right hand as Sam and Willie freed him.   
  
"They cut your other thumb off?" Parker asked.   
  
"And gift-wrapped it," Lyle stood up and walked over to the TV set. He held up the bag with his thumb in it. "Maybe if we get to the hospital, they can reattach it without any problems."   
  
Sydney walked over and peered closely at the thumb. He took it out and examined it. "I don't think you're going to have a problem with that, Lyle."   
  
"Why not?" Lyle asked.   
  
"This is plastic," Sydney replied. "Painted clay dough." He squished the thumb proving his point.   
  
Lyle frowned, then slowly unwrapped his right hand. His thumb was still attached. He wriggled it to make sure. "Then what the hell did they record?" he asked. He turned on the TV and pressed the 'Play' button on the VCR. Jarod and Samantha appeared on the screen.   
  
"Hello, everyone," Jarod smiled and waved. "Well, I'm sure by now that you've found out that we didn't really cut Lyle's thumb off. However, we did make a point, and if you're smart, you'll listen very closely. You know what we're capable of, so why don't you rethink your strategy of coming after Samantha, okay?" He turned to Samantha. "Anything to add?"   
  
"Just that the next time our paths cross, Lyle," Samantha faced the screen, "I will cut off thumb. Make no mistake about that." The screen went blank.   
  
"Well, you have a new best friend," Parker tried not to smile.   
  
"What do you want to do?" Broots asked.   
  
"We'll go back to the Centre," Lyle said. "It's time to rethink our strategy."   
  
"You're going to give up on trying to find Miss Wilson?" Sydney asked.   
  
"Not in the least," Lyle replied. "But the one thing I've learned from being with the Centre is that there is more than one way to, in this case, find a Pretender. Let's go" Lyle took the tape from the VCR then turned and walked out of the office.   
  
****   
  
Sleep Inn   
Salisbury, Maryland   
  
Jarod locked the door behind him then peered out of the curtains to make sure they were followed. He turned around and saw Samantha on the bed, going through the journals. He came over and sat beside her. He picked up one of the journals and started thumbing through it. It showed complex math equations and other complex puzzles in child-like handwriting. "Yours?"   
  
Samantha looked up and nodded. "When Mom and Dad told me that it would be best to keep my abilities a secret, I wrote them in here. Every time I came to a problem I saw somewhere, I would write it down and solve it in these books. I kept them hidden under my bed so they wouldn't find them." She sighed. "Where is it?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"A phone number. I need to call someone."   
  
"Sam, you can't."   
  
"Jarod, you don' t understand. He said to call him if I was ever in danger."   
  
Jarod frowned. "Who?"   
  
"I don't know, but he contacted me in an email last year on my birthday. He never gave his   
name, but I clearly remember him telling me that if I ever felt I was in danger, to contact him and give him the codename. At first I was suspicious, but he kept emailing me everyday."   
  
"You didn't tell him anything about you, did you?"   
  
"I didn't have to," Samantha replied. "He knew everything about me, including that I was smart." She saw Jarod's expression go sour. "Do you think he's with the Centre? I mean, how else could he have known about me?"   
  
"I'm not sure," Jarod answered. "But it wouldn't make sense, especially since we know how much the Centre wants you." He paused. "Unless he was trying to protect you. What was the codename he gave you?"   
  
Samantha flipped to a page in her journal and handed it to Jarod. She pointed to a small phrase near a cluster of equations at the bottom:  
  
s_refuge   
  
Jarod heart skipped a beat when he saw that. "Refuge?" he asked.   
  
Samantha frowned. "What is it, Jarod? You look like you've seen a ghost."   
  
"Refuge was the code that Sydney gave me when I was a child," Jarod replied. "It was our way of stopping a simulation whenever I was scared."   
  
"Are you saying Sydney is the one who contacted me?" Samantha asked.   
  
Jarod pulled out his phone and dialed Sydney's number. He handed the phone to   
Samantha. "There's only one way to find out."   
  
****   
  
Sydney was in his office when his phone rang. He answered it. "This is Sydney."   
  
"S refuge," Samantha said.   
  
Sydney sat up straighter. "Miss Wilson?" There was muffled sounds, then . . .   
  
"You're Samantha's contact," Jarod said, his voice a mixture of anger and hurt.   
  
"Jarod, I know that-"   
  
"You knew about her long before the Centre even knew she existed."   
  
"Jarod-"   
  
"Why didn't you ever tell me about her?"   
  
Sydney sighed. "Now is not the best time to talk about this, Jarod."   
  
"Fine. Meet me tonight at ten o'clock at the front entrance of the Victorian Rose Bed & Breakfast in Selbyville. Come alone." Sydney heard the click then hung up himself. He looked at his watch. Jarod wasn't giving him much time to spare, which he knew was his plan. He grabbed his jacket and shrugged into it as he left his office. He didn't see Parker step out of the shadows near his office.   
  
"The other shoe drops," she whispered.   
  
****   
  
Jarod hung up then put his phone away. Samantha watched him as he shrugged into his jacket. "I'm coming with you," she said.   
  
"No, you're staying here."   
  
"Like hell I am. Sydney knows who I am. I have the right to be there."   
  
"Yes, but it's too much of a risk for you to go."   
  
"I thought you trusted Sydney."   
  
"Sydney, yes. The people who might follow him, Lyle included, no. So, you're staying here." He grabbed his gun and checked it. "Lock up behind me."   
  
"And just what am I supposed to do until you get back?"   
  
Jarod looked at his bag. "Play with Mr. Potato Head if you get bored." He walked out of the hotel. Samantha scowled at the closed door. "Lock the door, Sam!" Samantha growled before marching over and locking the door. "Thank you." Samantha looked through the curtains as Jarod drove off. She looked back at the bag and saw Mr. Potato Head staring right back at her.   
  
"What?" she asked. She sighed as she walked over and sat down next to him. "Is he always this bossy?" She paused then groaned. "Great, I'm talking to a plastic potato man." She sighed as she looked at her watch. Selbyville wasn't that far away, and Sydney was going to talk to Jarod about her. She had every right to be there. Still, Jarod had told her to stay put, and she wasn't sure how he'd react to her disobeying a direct order . . . she hated dilemmas.   
  
****   
  
Victorian Rose Bed & Breakfast   
Selbyville, Delaware   
  
Sydney looked at his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was ten-fifteen. It wasn't like Jarod to be late, and any other person might assume that Jarod wasn't going to show, but Sydney knew better. He knew that Jarod was there, hiding in the shadows, making sure it was safe before revealing himself. He sighed again as he turned around. Jarod was right behind him.   
  
"Jarod," Sydney smiled. He noticed that Jarod was not smiling. "How is Miss Wilson?"   
  
"Why didn't you tell me that she existed?" Jarod asked. "What were you afraid of?"   
  
"Putting her in danger," Sydney replied. "The Centre didn't know anything about her."   
  
"That doesn't explain why you never told me."   
  
"Jarod, if I had told you that she was Angelo's sister, you would have gone to find her for the same reason I started looking for her in the first place."   
  
"Finding out the secrets to Angelo's past," Jarod replied.   
  
"Exactly. You would have unintentionally exposed her."   
  
"So, there is no doubt about her being Angelo's sister?"   
  
"When I first saw the picture of Benjamin and Marie Wilson, I knew they were Angelo's parents. Angelo and Samantha both have the same eyes as their father."   
  
"What even possessed you to start looking?"   
  
"I just felt that I owed it to him, and to you."   
  
"What did you find?"   
  
Sydney shrugged. "Nothing that we already don't know. Benjamin and Marie Wilson have no records of existing before 1966, which was the same year that Angelo was first brought to the Centre. However, I was in the process of going through some of the East Coast law enforcement records during that year, searching for anyone who filed a kidnapping report of a young boy named Timmy or Timothy. Unfortunately, I was unable to follow up on any of that."   
  
"But that doesn't mean I can't," Samantha replied as she stepped out from behind some boxes and walked over to the two men.   
  
"I thought I told you to stay put," Jarod frowned at Samantha.   
  
"And I told you I had every right to be here," Samantha replied. "Especially now that we know Angelo is my brother."   
  
"It would appear that not following orders happens to be an inherent trait among Pretenders," Sydney replied, trying not to smile. "Miss Wilson, it's good to see you again."   
  
"Don't encourage her," Jarod said. "Sam, how did you get here?"   
  
"Well, since I knew the time and place, it wasn't that difficult. I took a cab. Okay, so I have a brother." She let out a sigh that sounded like a cross between crying and laughing. "I have a brother."   
  
Jarod, in spite of himself, couldn't help but smile. "Trust me, I know how you feel, Sam."   
  
"Okay, so now what?" Samantha asked. "I mean, I know our next order of business is to get Angelo out of the Centre-"   
  
"Miss Wilson," Sydney interrupted, "that is out of the question."   
  
"Sydney's right, Sam. Going back into the Centre is just asking for trouble."   
  
"He is my brother."   
  
"He has his own reasons for staying," Jarod replied. He noticed the glare that the young woman was giving him. "Sam, trust me, I want him out of the Centre as much as you do, but you have to look at the big picture. If you break your brother out of the Centre, you won't be able to hide anywhere. Raines will make sure about that."   
  
"Then just kill Raines."   
  
"Tempting, but he's not that easy of a man to kill," Sydney replied. "Trust me."   
  
"So, what do I do now?"   
  
Jarod sighed. "Well, I was actually thinking about this, and I came up with two possibilities. One, I could send you to live with my father and the boy."   
  
"You know where they are?" Sydney asked.   
  
"Well, no, so that's out of the question," Jarod answered. "For the moment, anyway."   
  
"What boy?" Samantha asked.   
  
"Long story," Sydney and Jarod replied.   
  
"Second," Jarod cleared his throat, "I could send you somewhere and give you a new identity, but considering how you've gotten on Lyle's bad side, I think it's best if you stick with me so I can keep an eye on you. Of course, we do need to work on the listening aspect . . ."   
  
"Are you going to stay in contact?" Sydney asked.   
  
"As I normally do," Jarod replied.   
  
"Two Pretenders," Sydney couldn't help but chuckle. "Boy, Miss Parker's not going to be   
too happy."   
  
"When is she ever?" Jarod asked. He looked at his watch. "We have to go."   
  
Sydney sighed, then glanced at Samantha. "Miss Wilson. Be careful." He looked at Jarod. "Both of you. You can be sure that Lyle will be devoting his time now into trying to find both of you at any cost."   
  
"What about my brother?" Samantha asked. "Will he be okay?"   
  
Sydney smiled. "He'll be just fine. I'll personally see to that."   
  
Samantha smiled, knowing that Sydney was telling the truth. She turned and left with Jarod. Sydney watched them both walk into the shadows and disappear from sight. Sydney waited a few seconds before getting in his car and driving back to the Centre.   
  
****   
  
Back in Salisbury, Jarod and Samantha stopped by the Peninsula Regional Medical Center to check on the status of the testing. Since they already knew the outcome of the tests, Jarod had them terminated and the samples destroyed. They returned to their hotel, where they began settling in for the evening.   
  
"Jarod, can you tell me about my brother?" Samantha asked as she sat on the bed.   
  
Jarod pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. "Well, before he became Angelo, he was   
called Timmy. He was born on January 3, 1960, and he was brought to the Centre sometime in 1963. He's helped me a lot during my time out here. In fact, he was the one who first told me that the Centre was coming after you." He noticed her looking concerned. "What is it?"   
  
"Do you really think he'll be safe there?" Samantha asked. "I mean, what if the Centre finds out that he is my brother?"   
  
"Sydney won't allow that, Sam. He'll make sure that Angelo stays safe until we can rescue him."   
  
"And when will that be?"   
  
"I wish I knew." He looked at her, smiling. "Do you know what his favorite food is?"   
"What?"   
  
"Cracker Jacks."   
  
Samantha smiled. "Really?"   
  
Jarod nodded. "Ever since he was a little boy."   
  
"Huh. Well, when we rescue him, I'll make sure he has all the Cracker Jacks he wants."   
  
Jarod chuckled then his smile faded as he cleared his throat. "Until then, we have a lot of work to do, Sam."   
  
"Such as?" Jarod reached into his bag and pulled out a red notebook. He handed it to her.   
Samantha opened it and started reading all the newspaper clippings in there:   
  
"Homeless Man Dies In Hit And Run"   
"No Suspect In Hit And Run"   
"Surgeon Arrested In Death Of Homeless Man"   
  
Samantha looked up. "I remember this. "A homeless man was walking down the street one morning when a car swerved and hit him. The driver of the car turned out to be the doctor who had tried to save his life; he had been talking on his phone when he hit the man."   
  
"Yeah, that was actually one of my more interesting pretends."   
  
"How did you get him to confess?"   
  
"I rigged it up to where he was driving down the same street and talking on his phone. I had a dummy rigged so he'd hit it when he was distracted, then substituted myself as the victim. I was taken in to the hospital, and the surgeon was going to operate on me. Got him to confess, and he was arrested."   
  
"You seem to take great pride in exacting revenge like that," Samantha smiled.   
  
"Just like you did when we captured Lyle." He eyed the notebook. "We have work to do."  
  
Samantha handed the notepad back to him. "Does this mean I'm your partner?"   
  
Jarod paused for a moment, considering that. He nodded, smiling. "Partner." He stood up   
and patted her shoulder. "Get some rest. You've earned it."   
  
"And tomorrow we'll look at the files Angelo sent me?"   
  
"First thing tomorrow morning, Sam. We will find out the answers to yours and your brother's past."   
  
Without any warning, Samantha went over and hugged Jarod. "Thank you, Jarod."   
Jarod smiled as he hugged her back. "You're welcome, Sam."   
  
****   
  
Sydney walked into his office and sat down at his desk. He leaned back and just sat in the darkness, pondering the events of the past two days. He didn't even notice Miss Parker until she was in his office.   
  
"Hard at work, I see," Parker said.   
  
"Just thinking," Sydney replied. "What can I help you with, Parker?"   
  
"You knew about her long before the Centre did," Parker said.   
  
Sydney's face hardened. "You were eavesdropping?"   
  
"I wanted to know why you were acting so odd earlier when Broots was trying to find her in the Centre, and then there was the fact that you purposefully left out the information about her parents. Why?"   
  
"It was to keep her and Angelo safe."   
  
"Did you know she was Angelo's sister back then?"   
  
"What do you think?"   
  
Parker fixed him with a hard gaze. "Have you told him yet?"   
  
"No, but I think he already knows. I do hope you will keep this a secret."   
  
"I have no reason to talk. So, what does Jarod plan on doing with her?"   
  
"Well, in short, he plans to keep her close. Meaning, there are now two Pretenders out there the Centre will be after."   
  
"Joy," Parker replied. "The Tower's going to love hearing that." She smiled. "I'll let Lyle deal with them. Meanwhile, there is someone you need to talk to." She looked over her shoulder as Broots led Angelo down into the Sim Lab and over to Sydney's office. "Don't worry. I just said that you wanted to borrow Angelo for a project."   
  
Sydney smiled. "Thank you, Parker." He sat on the edge of his desk and looked at Angelo, who had taken a seat in the chair. "Angelo, I just got through talking with Samantha and Jarod."   
  
"Samantha safe?" Angelo asked.   
  
"She's safe. Jarod is going to make sure she stays safe." Angelo didn't show any emotion.   
  
"He doesn't even look like he cares," Parker replied.   
  
Sydney smiled at Angelo. "No, he cares. Don't you, Angelo?"   
  
Angelo looked up at Sydney and smiled. "Samantha safe," he repeated. "Sister safe."   
  
****   
  
Jarod was packing his bag and putting it aside when his computer signaled that he had an incoming email. He opened up the message and saw a picture of Samantha, the same one that Angelo had first sent him. Scribbled in red marker near the bottom was, 'Sister safe. Angelo happy.' Jarod smiled as he glanced over at Samantha, who was already sound asleep. "You're welcome, Angelo," he whispered.   
  
THE END   
  
Author's Note: The reason for Angelo's date being specific like it was is because of the Bloodlines storyline and the Centre's timeline. Miss Parker was born on January 3, 1960. Since she tried finding out if Lyle or Angelo was her twin, then both Lyle and Angelo, and Parker, would have to all have the same birthdate. 


End file.
